Ripon Cathedral has announced plans to extend its Wing and a Prayer exhibition of 10,000 prayer angels suspended in the nave into the New Year to offer comfort and hope during these uncertain times.
Ripon’s Prayer Angels are here to stay through Advent
Response to the project which saw over 10,000 paper prayer angels made by volunteers and members of the community to offer hope and prayers for those key workers during the first lockdown, has exceeded all expectations.
“We’ve been overwhelmed and touched by the response, said Margaret Hammond, Ripon Cathedral’s Development Manager.
“We’ve had so many people contact us to say how much comfort the exhibition has given them in these uncertain times.
“We’ve had people wanting us to make bespoke angels for them, and we’ve even sent one to America,’ she added.
Ripon Cathedral partnered with local charity, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance to raise much needed funds for both the organisations during lockdown by asking people to donate an angel for those on the frontline of the crisis and help create this unique art installation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqaLB7n2hdo
People filled in prayer requests and donated a paper angel onto which their prayer was written before the angels were installed in a great net fixed high across the nave.
The exhibition opened on Yorkshire Day (August 1) and so far the campaign has raised around £140,000 to be shared between Ripon Cathedral and the Air Ambulance. Over 10,000 angels were donated including those from eleven local schools who decided to create their own special angels in lockdown.
Volunteers are making small angels for visitors to the exhibition to take away with them and hope the exhibition will continue to inspire quiet reflection and contemplation of these challenging times.
Ripon Cathedral is currently open for private prayer in accordance with latest Government guidelines. It is open from 10 -4pm every day.
You can still donate to the campaign here.
Photo: Danny Lawson PA Credit
